For many young drivers, including Enzo Deligny, FIA Formula 3 (F3) in 2026 represents much more than just another category on the junior ladder. It is the level where drivers are featured alongside the Formula 1 race weekends, where pressure increases rapidly, and where adapting quickly can make or break a weekend.
During the 2026 FIA F3 Australian Round, with Pit Debrief in attendance, Deligny reflected on his journey through the junior ranks, the step from the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), now known as the Formula Regional European Championship (FREC), into F3, and the challenges he has already faced during his rookie season.
From FREC to FIA Formula 3
After finishing P12 in FRECA in 2024 before improving to P3 in 2025, Deligny entered F3 in 2026 facing a completely different environment. While the French driver had already built experience in highly competitive junior categories, he admitted the atmosphere around an F1 weekend immediately stands out.
“I think the biggest thing is being on an F1 weekend,” Deligny explained. “It’s really cool. I mean right now we’re sat in the F1 press conference room, so being around it is honestly really cool and inspiring, especially seeing the F1 drivers.”
Although FRECA helped prepare him for the jump into F3, Deligny explained that F3 demands far quicker adaptation due to the limited amount of practice and track time available across a race weekend. With the series preparing to head to Monaco for Round 2 of the 2026 season, that challenge only becomes greater.
“Also what Brando [Badoer] said, you really don’t have a lot of track time and practice, so you just have to adapt really quickly,” he said. “In a way I feel like it’s harder for everyone but it’s good, it shows the good drivers who they are and it overall makes for exciting weekends because it’s unexpectable, like a bit random let’s say.”
“So yeah let’s see, this and Monaco also I’m looking forward to it as it’ll be my first time there.”
Deligny’s 2026 F3 Melbourne weekend
Deligny’s rookie FIA Formula 3 weekend in Melbourne showed exactly that unpredictability. He impressed immediately on debut, qualifying inside the top 10 before going on to secure a podium in the Sprint Race. After a chaotic race that ended early following the collision between PREMA Racing teammates James Wharton and Louis Sharp, Deligny finished P2 behind teammate Bruno del Pino, securing a VAR 1-2 finish.
He backed that result up with another strong drive in the Feature Race, crossing the line in P6 and leaving Melbourne with a solid points haul across both races. Throughout the weekend, Deligny showed strong racecraft and composure in traffic, while also capitalising on opportunities as they came to him during his first weekend in the category.
Deligny also highlighted the significant jump in performance between FRECA and FIA Formula 3, while suggesting FIA Formula 2 feels like a more natural continuation from F3 once drivers successfully adapt to the category.
“Overall it’s quite a big step up from FRECA I would say,” Deligny continued. “The car is a lot quicker, and then F2 I feel is more of a continuation of F3. I think if you can do good in F3, you’ll do fine in F2.”
